LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - As Bob Knight moved one win closer to catching Dean Smith, his temper flared once again, when he used his hand to push a player's chin during a timeout, as if to make him look the coach in the eye.

With more than 4 minutes to go in Texas Tech's 86-74 victory over Gardner-Webb on Monday night, Red Raiders forward Michael Prince was called for a foul. During the ensuing timeout, Knight approached Prince, and as the player lowered his head, the coach made contact with his chin.

Knight gave a brief statement at the postgame news conference then answered one question before exiting the room. The incident with Prince was never addressed.

It was win No. 871 for Knight, who is five away from passing Adolph Rupp for second place on the all-time list. He needs nine more victories to surpass Smith for the most wins in Division I history.

Knight's career has featured three national championships, all at Indiana, and plenty of temper outbursts, including run-ins with players.

In 1992, Knight kicked a chair on the bench while son Pat, then a player for him at Indiana and now his assistant and successor-to-be at Texas Tech, was sitting in it. When fans behind the team bench booed, Knight turned and responded with an obscenity.

He was accused of grabbing a player by the throat during a practice in 1997, an episode that was caught on videotape and created the whirlwind that eventually led to his firing from Indiana in September 2000.

Knight was fired for what Indiana officials called a violation of a zero-tolerance behavior policy shortly after he grabbed the arm of a student who greeted him on campus by saying ``Hey, what's up, Knight?''

His most infamous moment came in a game against Purdue in 1985, when he threw a chair across the court after being assessed a technical foul.

Jarrius Jackson led Texas Tech with 22 points in the first-round victory over Gardner-Webb in the College Basketball Experience Classic. The Red Raiders (2-0) will play Arkansas-Little Rock, an 81-79 winner over Akron, in the second round on Tuesday night.

Texas Tech led throughout after taking a 13-0 lead. Martin Zeno had 19 points and Esmir Rizvic notched 17 in his first start for the Red Raiders. Prince, a 6-foot-7 sophomore who averaged 2.7 points per game last season, finished with two points.

Ricky McPhee led Gardner-Webb (0-1) with 22 points.

Texas Tech led 34-27 at halftime, then hit 11 of its first 16 shots to open the second half, extending the lead to 61-48 with more than 9 minutes to go.